Patent GB-703764-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to accounting, calculating and record card and like controlled statistical machines
Inventor: EXCELL ARTHUR WILLIAM
IPC: H01C17/22
Filed: 1951-01-12
Abstract: 703,764. Statistical apparatus. POWERS-SAM AS ACCOUNTING MACHINES, Ltd. Nov.] 9, 1951 [Jan. 12, 1951], No. 965/51. Class 106 (1) An accumulator for statistical machines comprises a plurality of rotatable and co-axial toothed denominational register wheels, adding and subtracting pinions constantly in mesh with each register wheel to rotate the wheel in opposite directions, a reciprocable digit entering rack for each wheel and having teeth in opposite sides thereof for meshing engagement with the pinions, actuating means to move each rack from a starting position, a number of tooth positions representative of a digit to be registered on its register wheel, restraining means to restrain the register wheels against rotation except during the registering of digits thereon, or the reading of digits therefrom, pinion entering means selectively to move one or other of the pinions from an inactive position into meshing engagement with its rack for the purpose of registering digits on its register wheel or for reading digits therefrom, and carry-over means to effect a carry from a register wheel of one denomination to the next. Fig. 1 shows six denominations. A plurality of wheels 1 are supported on a fixed spindle 2 carried in side frames 3, 4. The wheels 1 are mounted in co-axial relationship and are freely rotatable, each is provided with thirty teeth which are constantly in mesh with two pinions 5 and 6 which function as the adding and subtracting pinions respectively, and serve to move the wheels 1 in opposite directions. Also for each wheel 1 there is provided a reciprocable rack 7 having teeth 8 and 9 on opposite sides thereof for meshing engagement with the pinions 5 and 6. Each rack 7 has a slot 10 extending lengthwise thereof. The slots embrace the spindle 2 and an aligning bar 11 common to all the register wheels 1. At the upper end of each rack are further teeth 12 which are constantly in mesh with a gear wheel 13. The gear wheels 13 are freely rotatable about a fixed spindle 14. Also in mesh with each gear 13 is a toothed actuating member 15 which may be operated under key control or under record card control. To engage one or other of the sets of pinions 5, 6 with their associated racks 7 there is provided at each end of the accumulator a rocking plate 24, Fig. 3, fixed on a pin 25 journalled in a block 26 mounted for a vertical movement in a slot 27. The rocking plate has two slots 28, 29, one of which 'can be engaged with a pin 30 fixed to a plate 44 riveted to the back of a toothed quadrant 38, and the other of which can be engaged with a pin 31 also fixed to the plate 44 as shown in Fig. 7. The rocking plate is always engaged with one of the other of the pins 30, 31, according to whether the accumulator is conditioned for addition or subtraction. Normally under the action of spring 24a, the accumulator is conditioned for addition as shown in Fig. 7, but when rocked to the position shown in Fig. 6 by means responsive to an impulse derived from a subtraction key, or special punched hole in a card, the accumulator is conditioned for subtraction. In operation, the aligner bar 11 holds the register wheels 1 against movement while the racks 7 are moved downwards from their starting positions with the pinions 5 and 6 clear of the teeth 8, 9 as shown in Fig. 4. After the racks have completed their downward movement the appropriate pinions 5 or 6 are rolled over the register wheels until they are in mesh with the teeth 8 or 9, and the aligner bar 11 is raised out of engagement with the register wheels 1. After the pinions 5 or 6 have been put into mesh with the racks 7 and the aligner bar has been raised, the racks are restored to their starting positions by the restoring movement of the actuating members 15 and during this movement of the racks, the pinions meshing therewith are rotated a number of tooth positions equal to that by which the racks are restored and cause the register wheels 1 to be turned by an equal number of tooth positions, thus registering the required digits thereon. Each of the register wheels 1 is provided with carry-over devices which comprise three carry cams 51, Fig. 4, on each side of a wheel 1, for carrying upwards during an addition, and three cams 52 on the other side of the wheel for downward carry-over during subtraction. Also for each wheel 1 there is provided an adding carry pawl 53 and a subtracting carry pawl 54 both urged inwards by springs to their active positions. Sliding plates 59 having slots 60 which engage studs 61 in the side frames are provided to ensure that only one set of pawls is active at any given time. The sliding plates 59 are moved to the right or left as viewed in Fig. 4 so that when one set of carry pawls is moved to active position the other set is simultaneously moved to inactive position. When a total reading operation takes place, the pinions 5 or 6 are arranged to remain in mesh with the racks 7 during the downwards movement of the racks, and the racks are moved downwards until the register wheels are arrested by the flat under-surfaces of the carry cams abutting against the carry by the number of tooth positions equal to the pawls. Accordingly the racks 7 move downwards by the number of tooth positions equal to the number of digits registered on the register wheels. The pinions are then disengaged from the racks, the aligner bar is restored to engagement with the register wheels and the racks are restored to their zero or starting positions. During the downward movement of the racks the actuating members 15 move proportionately to the downward movement of the racks and this movement of the members 15 is employed to set printing or punching mechanisms adapted to effect a record of the total read by the downward movement of the racks 7. Fugitive one arrangements are provided.